Muséum national d'histoire naturelle _ The species

FROM : Les Malines, Saint Laurent le Minier, Gard, France
SIZE : 16 x 13 cm

This specimen is a barite on matrix. It is associated to sphalerite crystals. Barite forms a white sphere, the crystals are lamellate (crystallization named as "cock peak" in French when translated into English).

This sample comes from Les Malines mines, in the Gard, France. It was bought by the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle.

This sample is currently exposed in the Room of the Treasure, located within the Gallery of Mineralogy of the Muséum.

Photography: A. Dahmane / Photo Saint-Hilaire,
© MNHN.

SPECIE : Barite

HISTORY : Name inspired by the Greek word "βαρυσ" [barys] meaning heavy. In reference to its high density

Species first described in 1800 by Dietrich Ludwig Gustav Karsten (1768-1810), German matematician

Type-locality: undefined because species already known by the Ancients
ANCIENT NAME : Baryte

CHEMICAL FORMULA : Ba SO4
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Orthorhombic
COLOR : Colorless, brown, blue, green, reddish yellow
DIAPHANIETY : Transparent to opaque
LUSTER : Vitreous to resineous
STREAK : White
MORPHOLOGY : Tabular crystals, prismatic. As roses, massive, lamellar, stalactitic
HARDNESS : 3,0-3,5
DENSITY : 4,47

CHEMICAL CLASS : VII - Sulfates, chromates
GROUP : Barytine
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 6/A.09-20
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 7.AD.35

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Barite

MNHN N°198.135

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